For Colored Girls is a 2010 American film written, directed, and produced by Tyler Perry, who is the creator of the famous character Mable "Madea" Simmons. This heart-warming film is an adaptation of the 1975 stage play For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide When The Rainbow Is Enuf by Ntozake Shange. The film featured a strong excellent cast such as: Janet Jackson, Whoopi Goldberg, Phylicia Rashad, Thandie Newton, Loretta Devine, Anika Noni Rose, Kimberly Elise, and Kerri Washington. The film depicted the lives of nine women, and explored their lives and struggles as African American women. This film is considered a piece in African American literature and black feminism. It grossed $20.1 million its opening weekend.
The film starts off by introducing each of the main ladies in the movie. Janet Jackson is an educated business woman; however, she is very mean, snobby, and disrespectful. However, when Janet Jackson sees Kimberly Elise's children get murdered, she becomes a little more soft and giving; but she still has her struggles when her husband tells her that he's been sleeping with men when he's not with her. Whoopi Goldberg goes around town trying to get others to receive the Word of God. Anything that isn't of God is a sin in her eyes, and she will not associate herself with it. She calls her oldest daughter Satan, because she sleeps around, but she use to do the same thing when she was her age. Whoopi Goldberg fought her oldest (Thandie Newton) because she was the one who told her youngest daughter (Tessa Thompson) about the abortionist in the projects. Phylicia Rashad is the apartment manager who witnesses everything that goes on within the apartment complex. She tries the best she can to comfort Kimberly Elise after her children are murdered. She also talks some sense into Thandie Newton, and tells her that what she’s doing is not the way she should be living her life. Thandie Newton is a bartender, but sleeps around with different men, and she does not care whether they are married or not, she also treats her mother (Whoopi Goldberg) and her sister Nyla (Tessa Thompson) horrible. After her sister comes to her, and tells her about her abortion and how their mother tried to cast demons out of her, Thandie Newton realized that she needed to stick closer to her sister and be there for her more. Loretta Devine is a nursewho talks to groups of women about sex, and using condoms. She is also the head of the community center in the town. She is in love with a man named Frank; however, she comes to the realization that she deserves better and he is not going to be there for her the way he needs to be. Anika Noni Rose is a dance instructor who loves her girls, and teaches them to be young ladies and they can exceed in the world; however, things change when she is raped in her apartment by the guy she had been dating for a couple weeks, played by Khalil Kain. She lives in slight paranoia and fear, and files a police report against him. She feels a little better when the police officer who was taking care of her case (Hill Harper), calls her and tells her that Bill (Khalil Kain) was killed. He tried to rape another woman, and in retaliation she stabs him. Kimberly Elise is Janet Jackson's assistant; however, she has trouble at home because her boyfriend beats her and their two children. Her boyfriend is played by Michael Ealy, and he is a war veteran, who's attitude and demeanor changed once he got back from the war. After her boyfriend drops her children from their 5th floor apartment window, her whole world crumbles. She would not eat or sleep, and she tried to commit suicide, by overdosing on perscription pills. Kerri Washington works for Child Welfare Services but battles with not being able to have children on her own, with her husband who is played by Hill Harper. Tessa Thompson who plays Whoopi Goldberg's youngest daughter Nyla struggles with teenage pregnancy; and decides to go to the projects to get an abortion, and the abortionist was played by Macy Gray. After nearly dying from the procedure, she goes to her sister for advice after her mother tries “cast away” the evil inside of her. After everything she went through, she was still able to go to college with the scholarship she received.
This film was well directed, and every single actor and actress did a wonderful job. A lot of people in the world could relate to this movie; because, unfortunately millions of people in the world have gone through one of the situations that the women went through in this movie. This film shows that in life, you are going to have your troubles, your trials, and your tribulations; but one way or another you are going to get through it. You must trust in the Lord, and he will heal you. It may not come when you want it too, but He will never leave you or forsake you.
